A puppy’s urge to chew is usually mistaken for nipping and/or biting. When your puppy decides that you are a good item to chew on make a fuss.

Say “OUCH!” and mean it. Tell your puppy “No Bite” and stop playing with him, or keep puppy toys handy to switch him from chewing on your flesh to chewing on a toy.

He will eventually understand that if he nips at you, play time between you and him stops. Even if he does have a toy to play by himself he will stop nipping.

Never play hand-mouth games with your puppy, as the puppy gets older so do his teeth and the games become a lot less fun.

Puppies that nip or chew on people will become dogs that do the same, and if nothing is done to stop the behavior the dog can become aggressive.

Nipping and Biting should only be associated with aggression if your dog shows at least 3 signs of aggression when he bites. Some of the signs of aggression are as follows, lip curling, growling, lunging, and snapping.

If you think your dog might have an aggression problem consider talking to a behaviorist. Never play tug-o-war with an aggressive dog as it re-establishes the dominance behavior! Most times depending on the cause of the aggression it can be cured.

If you think your dog has an aggression problem don’t wait to find a behaviorist to talk to. Your local SPCA, like most, should have someone you can talk to for free about his aggression problem. Until you are sure walk him with a muzzle on and keep him on a leash at all times.